Through the back and forth in the Free Grace camp, I have really been trying to understand something that is truly incomprehensible to the human mind, the Grace of God.
My soteriology has been refined and I’ve formed some very strong convictions about saving faith. I believe most definitely that the work of God through Christ and the promise of God are the two most prominent vehicles He uses to bring people to saving faith. I still hold to all those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are saved – believe (or trust) in Him, who he is rather that what He’s done, what He is doing or what He will do. Pondering Grace I’ve come to the conclusion that the Grace of God, while incomprehensible in it’s entirety, is not something that is easily discerned at the level of saving faith, even within Christendom. So many walls are put up to keep “them” out and keep “us” in. Many of these walls were built, I believe, during and after the reformation and certainly have as their foundation both anti-Catholic and anti-protestant sentiments. I know many Catholics, even while adhering to the teachings of Catholicism are saved. I know many protestants, even while adhering to the tenets of their denomination are saved.
I adhere to a slightly revised evangelical sentiment of faith alone in Christ alone – one must trust (faith) in Jesus Christ alone as God. I’m not undermining the Trinity or becoming a modalist – simply stating the truth that God is one, Jesus Christ is God and saving faith comes solely through belief in Him.
I’m starting to see that God’s grace escapes the human mind by way of its exceeding richness and the sheer magnitude of its bounty. I’m at peace and happy to call most Catholics my brother or sister in Christ based on the simple profession that Jesus Christ alone is God and there is no other. This will undoubtedly have many of my Evangelical brothers and sisters crying heresy and I’m alright with that as long as I’m standing on the Word of God….I’m alright. I rejoice at having a spiritual family much larger than I ever imagined.
2 comments:
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound. ;-) I agree with your understanding on this.
I'm really glad you're doing so well.
I can't see any way of separating belief on Jesus Christ from belief that he died "once for all" to save sinners. I too believe there are a great many saved Catholics... however, those are people who do not follow the Catholic dogma of salvation through the sacraments. You can't have it both ways.
I'm sure there are lots of lost folks in the professed Christian camp, lots of saved in the Catholic camp. The Lord knows the hearts of all of them.
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